


Uncommon UpBringings

by Chaseha_Wing



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Justice League - All Media Types, Teen Titans - All Media Types, Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Babies, Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, Bruce Wayne is the biological Parent, Family Fluff, Gen, More characters to come, Rated T for language, permission from the author, spin off series
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:48:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25375675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chaseha_Wing/pseuds/Chaseha_Wing
Summary: Bruce Wayne saw his life flash before his eyes. Every plan he had put into motion for the next ten years. Every business effort, every charity gala. Heck, he'd already planned at least five dates in the next week alone that he was going to have to cancel. Everything he thought his life would be would change thanks to this baby.And that’s not even including his plans for the night.A story about Bruce aquiring Jason as a baby and his adventures when raising him. This can also be considered a side story of  AmariT's "Common People"
Relationships: Dick Grayson & Bruce Wayne, Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne, Tim Drake & Bruce Wayne
Comments: 65
Kudos: 246





	1. The Beggining

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Common People](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12069960) by [AmariT](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmariT/pseuds/AmariT). 



> Special thanks again to AmariT for both allowing me to make this AND for helping immensely with the editing for this chapter! She's a great writer and there's a proper link to Common People down below so you can read that first to avoid major spoilers.
> 
> For the rest of you, have a great time :D
> 
> Edit: Originally, I accidentally uploaded an older version of the fic, so if you read right after this came out, there have been some changes to the story. Thank you for your patience, I hope you all enjoy the finished product.

** Uncommon Upbringings **

Catherine had a hard time breathing as she held the infant close to her chest in the waiting room of Wayne Enterprises. The baby cooed and made a whining noise, as if he sensed her panicked heart and she shushed him gently, making him whine more. She sent a panicked glanced towards the secretary in the office, who gave her an understanding smile to try and calm her nerves.

“It’s okay, Jason. It’s okay.” Her throat tightened and she tried to choke out the words, as if trying to make herself believe them. “I-It will be alright. You’ll see. Y-you’ll see. It’s okay baby. Calm down Jay-baby.”

She tried not to cry as she bounced him more. Rubbing his back through the thick comforter wrapped around him to keep him warm. She had met Jason weeks ago, left in a laundry basket with a letter and some paperwork explaining his situation. The doctor who stayed there was long gone and not coming back. She had abandoned her baby in the hotel with the baby screaming, pink and even a little wet. Was he born there? Had the woman really just given birth in their hotel room and left without so much as a word about her child? Catherine had been much too horrified at the notion to ask any of her coworkers about her, and too occupied watching her new charge. Her new… son.

Or that was what she so desperately wanted to call him. Her little boy, her little Jay-baby, her own personal hero who gave her the one thing she would never get to have herself: a child.

However, he had a father. Or rather, he could have one.

Bruce Wayne, the young, eccentric, new CEO of Wayne Enterprises, who had barely been back in Gotham for a year. A flirty playboy and self proclaimed “Prince of Gotham,” whose apparent representation left his image… rather deplorable to Catherine’s eyes. Another rich heir fucking his way through Gotham.

Literally, if Jason’s existence had anything to say.

Upon reflection, Catherine didn’t want to hand over Jason. Bruce’s filthy reputation, as well as his suspicious absence and sudden arrival, made her skin crawl at the idea of handing Jason over to him these past two months.

However, he was the boy’s father. And as much as she wanted to focus on the bad, he was also very good for Gotham. In the last four months alone, he had created hundreds of local job opportunities for the inhabitants of Gotham. His donations to local schools and charities in the lower districts were revitalizing Gotham’s youth and tackling gang recruitment head on. He even made a very bold statement in regards to taxation recently, stating that he would place the millions of dollars he should have been taxed by the government directly into Gotham. Funding road development as well as food and housing organizations to tackle the horrific state of Gotham’s infrastructure.

He was complicated. Looking him up on the local library computer, Catherine was sure he was more than a party animal hell bent on repopulating the city one mother at a time. He also wanted to help. He wanted to make the world better.

She still had no idea if that meant he wanted to be a father, let alone a good father to her son.

A good father to Jason.

This thought was only exaggerated when she came across old blog posts about an article from the Gotham Gazette, claiming he had another illegitimate heir overseas as a teenager. A Richie Greybeard or something. Catherine was unable to learn much more about it however, as Bruce had threatened the papers with a lawsuit, forcing the story to be redacted. Some speculated it was to hide something sinister.

Holding Jason close, she thought about Bruce Wayne possibly abusing the only thing she loved and it sent her spiralling, almost enough to make her flee the office. She had known Jason for barely two months, but that was his entire life on this planet and she couldn’t let the rest of it end in turmoil! Not after his tragic start!

“Ms. Todd.”

“You can’t touch him!” Catherine screamed.

The secretary jumped in shock, and Catherine felt her cheeks flush. The lady kept looking at her judgementally, as if wondering if she was an escaped inmate from Arkham. No doubt her finger was hovering over the panic button under her desk. Slowly, she continued her message.

“Mr. Wayne will see you now.”

Catherine glanced between the office and the elevator. If she ran now, she could leave and maybe Mr. Wayne would never look for her. Never care.

Never know his son… never know Jason existed…

That, as she'd learned two months ago, truly was the worst torture in the world. With one deep breath to settle her nerves, she turned to the door and walked into Bruce Wayne’s office.

* * *

Bruce Wayne, the Prince of Gotham. At sixteen he went missing, and ended up traversing the world on multiple adventures. Some said he left so he could gain mythical kung fu abilities; others said he finished his schooling in Germany because their drinking age started at sixteen and he wanted to party. Others said he and a clown got together and had five babies, which chased him around the world before forcing him to pay child support.

Literally no one believed that last story.

But everyone knew that almost one year ago, Bruce Wayne had returned at the ripe age of twenty-two. He was eccentric, a womanizer and immediately took over his family’s company. This party animal had removed multiple shareholders, who were then taken down by some ravaged vigilante for connections to the mob. As a result: he was currently the most powerful man in Gotham.

And he was face down on his desk, possibly drowning in his own drool.

Jason wiggled at the snores.

“Mr. Wayne…. Sir?” Catherine started. She got a snort in return and another loud snore. “Jason, baby… you know you could probably wake him up if you felt like crying again.”

Instead of complying, Jason just blinked up at her, seemingly tired from his previous outburst.

“Okay baby, ma-…my…I got this…I’ll wake up your…daddy,” she said, stopping her own tears. She took a breath, calming herself.

Then took another breath so she could tear this man asunder.

“GOOD SIR! PLEASE WAKE UP AND MEET YOUR BABY!”

Mr. Wayne launched up, his arms raising in defense as Jason started crying due to her outburst. His eyes landed on Catherine, a crying woman, and Jason, a crying infant in shock and confusion. Then they did that four more times before he sat up straighter and tried to subtly wipe the drool from his lips.

“Um, ma’am… Thank you for scheduling this meeting today Ms. — “

“This is your baby!” Catherine cried.

“…Todd. Um… Ma’am, I don’t believe we've ever met.”

“We haven’t. He’s not mine,” Catherine said. Her voice was scratchy and trembling. But she went to sit in front of him and pulled out an envelope and a letter she had been hiding. They were the only possessions Jason owned. “He’s yours… Only yours.”

Catherine watched as Bruce blinked in shock and stared at the letter that was addressed to him in clinically handwritten letters. Slowly, he pulled the paperwork from her trembling hands. She watched in silent wonder as he opened the letter first. His face drained of all colour, eyes moving rapidly as they devoured the text until they got to the owner’s name at bottom of the letter.

Sheila Haywood.

Bruce Wayne’s entire demeanor changed as he looked between the letter, Catherine, her baby, and the door. His muscles clenched, his back curved, and suddenly, he looked like a predator ready to pounce. Catherine's heart accelerated when his finger slammed down on the intercom between them.

“Kristina! Cancel everything I had to do today. I don’t care when or where you reschedule it to, just do it!” He demanded, his voice deeper and more commanding than it had been a minute ago. It made Catherine jump and stand to take a step back, her body demanding that she run away—only for him to turn his ice-blue eyes on her. She watched as his hand went into his pocket and she froze; seeing her life flash before her eyes as she held Jason closer, ready to shield him from any weapon he was about to reveal when Bruce took out a phone, and pressed one number.

“Leslie, I need you to come to work right now-… I can’t… _hello_ _Leslie_... Better?” His voice changing from commanding to exasperated. Catherine watched as he rubbed his face, almost using the motion to hide sudden embarrassment. “Good. Now, _please_ come over to WE now; it’s an emergency! I’ll explain when you get here, just bring multiple paternity tests.”

With that he hung up (much more gently than before) and pocketed the phone away. He looked straight at Catherine’s face, as if trying ignore the crying baby in her arms.

“Tell me everything you know.”

* * *

Bruce stared as Leslie swiped the inside of the baby’s cheek as the little thing yawned. It was so small—he…he was so small.

Just under nine months ago, Bruce had spent the night with one Doctor Sheila Haywood. She had been sassy, sarcastic and a little mean but also strong, cunning… They ended up dating for a week before Bruce realised what a monster she was and called it quits; something she was more than happy to do. Apparently, she had only dated him to get access to an elite bourbon on their second date (Had she drunk while the infant was created? Would that hinder his already stunted development?). Apparently, some 7+ months later, their son had been born early, possibly in a hotel, and rather than call anyone or contact him directly, Sheila had just abandoned their (his?) son, where this cleaning lady, Catherine, had picked him up and has been raising him for about two months.

Catherine hadn't put the baby (his son…) down since then. But this entire ordeal was too much for Bruce to comprehend. The timeline was too much of a coincidence. The letter, too concise. The events that proceeded after his birth… too tragic. It was all too much and could not be real.

So… why had the first test come back positive?

“Just one more time to be safe. Hey, hey-hey, stop squirming,” Leslie said, looking at the baby that had just now decided to start fussing.

“He’s not used to so many people,” Catherine apologized, pulling out a knapsack with one hand and starting to make a bottle while juggling the baby. Bruce raised his eyebrow at the cheap formula; it reminded him of the brands Mary once told him to avoid when he shopped for Dick. His little baby had been a very picky eater back then, and had a taste for the expensive brands. 

His baby… Dick was supposed to be his only baby…

“Let me do that for you,” Bruce said, getting up and reaching for the bag on her arm, but Catherine stepped away in fear and held the baby closer. Bruce moved slowly, carefully trying to face away from her and keep his movement non-threatening as he reached for the formula again. Earlier she had looked ready to bolt from his office when he called Leslie, and he didn’t want to risk her reaching that level of fear again.

“Why…” Bruce started, looking for the kettle he kept in his office so he would be able to use to make a bottle. “Why would you try to reach out to me now, months later… Why wait so long?”

Catherine ran a thumb over the baby’s cheeks. Looking closely, Bruce tried to remember if Sheila had freckles, and if he could expect some on the child when he was a little older.

“At first I was in shock… He was just…there.… Left alone in the hotel. I thought for sure she would come back… but she never did. I had read the letter but I didn’t really believe… I mean how could a mother be so cruel? And then I took him home. I waited, thinking she would contact you, or me, or the hotel, that there would be a manhunt all over Gotham for him. But no message was ever released. I thought maybe you really didn’t know? And then… how could I POSSIBLY get in contact with you? If I went to your house, you would have just slammed the door in my face.”

Bruce would never… but with his reputation, he could understand where the thought came from.

“And here in your company it was… terrifying. It’s terrifying to be here. I had nothing to offer, but it was… was the only way to reach you. But I couldn’t just call you about this. You would never believe it. So, I…”

“Lied,” Bruce finished. He remembered now. The meeting was supposed to be about a small company wanting to sell its assets to Wayne Enterprises. A small meeting that, looking over the stats that were provided, was basically a waste of time. The paperwork alone was an obvious lie, hence he decided to use the time for a nap. This however was…

“I honestly would have preferred it if you called me at home via the yellow pages.” Bruce joked, looking at the woman juggle around the crying blanket lump. The kettle finally clicked off, allowing him to make the formula.

Catherine gave a small choked laugh, but took formula when offered, squirting some on her wrist and wincing.

“Careful, it’s— “

“Too hot. It has to be room temperature when he eats.” She gasped, shaking her hand to alleviate the pain. Bruce couldn’t help but analyze her. Sometimes she was crying and pitiful, other times she would smile so tenderly, and once in a while, it seemed like she was on the verge of bolting out of the office, baby and all.

She acted like a mother… as if the boy was her son… 

“You clearly have affection for my—the baby.” Bruce said, choosing his words carefully. “So why are you telling me at all when you knew I’d take him back?”

Catherine lowered her head, covering the baby’s face with her hair.

“The only thing worse than living my life… was living my life without Jason in it. I couldn’t let you feel that same pain.”

And there was nothing Bruce could say to that.

They did a third test before Bruce was 100% satisfied.

Catherine walked around the room, rocking the baby to keep him calm (it was probably more for her anxieties than his). Meanwhile, Bruce had gone completely white as he stared at the wall, thinking about the implications.

For one brief, all-consuming moment, the idea of giving hush money to Catherine entered his mind. He’d let her take the baby and he’d never see it again. The paper trail would go cold and Jason would never have to know who he was.

But that thought was murdered in an alley the moment it came into existence. As soon as he saw the letter, when the first test came back positive, he knew that he was keeping Jason. His son.

He saw his life flash before his eyes. Every plan he had put into motion for the next ten years. Every business effort, every charity gala. Heck, he'd already planned at least five dates in the next week alone that he was going to have to cancel. Everything he thought his life would be would change thanks to this baby.

And that’s not even including his plans for the night.

Leslie was packing up, but had asked what kind of medical services Jason had, especially for being born premature. And it was next to nothing. Catherine hadn’t had the time to go to a clinic and couldn’t afford the shots Jason needed.

His two-month-old, premature baby that he hadn't known about until seven hours ago, hadn’t seen a doctor until today! (‘SHEILA DIDN’T COUNT,’ his internal thoughts raged) and had been living without his vaccinations.

He stayed silent. Sitting in his chair and watching the white walls of his office. In his mind, her heard Celtic Woman singing "Scarborough Fair", but that may have been him going into shock. It was scratchier than normal. Odd since their harmonies were always so on point. In fact, there were so many oddities in it. Why did it sound so sad?

It took him too long to realise it couldn’t be Celtic Woman.

Catherine finished the song and he heard a small coo in response.

“In the envelope,” Bruce began quietly. “Sheila left a partially filled birth certificate… I want to sign it.”

Catherine just nodded, making no move to get it for him. Once it was signed, they both knew her time with Jason would be over. That she’d lose him.

“You know, if I was a horrible person, I legally could see this as a kidnapping. There could have been legal consequences for you.”

Once again Catherine just nodded.

“I won’t do that, of course. I only have him because of you. And although I’m forever grateful, I’m against you going to the press about this. Jason doesn’t deserve to be scrutinized by the public. If you require compensation to stay silent or need it to make up the cost of watching him I can- “

“No. I won’t accept that.” Catherine said quietly, but firmly. “I won’t ever tell anyone about Jason. I'd never do anything to could hurt him. And if I accepted your money it wouldn’t… it would be like erasing the time we spent together. It would be like he was never my son.”

Bruce believed her and bit his lip to keep silent about the last part.

“Can I... hold my baby?” he asked.

His baby… He had another baby…

Catherine held Jason so much tighter, her breath becoming gasps as she brought her face down over his. Bruce saw her give a kiss to his head before she offered him over. “Support his head.”

With a shaky breath of his own, Bruce followed her advice, taking the blanket and baby. He was so incredibly light, he weighed almost nothing. He was certain the blanket ended up being heavier than the baby inside. The corner of the blanket had fallen over the face of the little thing and slowly, Bruce pulled it back to get his first look at his baby’s face.

There were no freckles after all, and his cheeks were a little hollow. This wasn’t a fat, pudgy, bouncing baby like Dick had been, but a small, quiet, tired baby who was beyond fragile. He was two months old and had the stature of a newborn, maybe smaller. He was pale, and had almost no hair except a touch of black fuzz on the top of his head. His eyes opened and they were huge, beautiful aquamarine eyes that reminded him of the ocean.

He heard Catherine move and turned to see her trying to offer him the backpack.

“This has his favourite toys. Clothes. I know you can afford more but…this is everything I could afford—"

Her voice was breaking and the bag dropped from her trembling hand. Bruce watched it fall to the ground, unable to grab it while still holding his son. Jason started crying again at the loud “thud” it made and reached for Catherine, as if asking her to hold him again.

Catherine stepped forward, her arms reached out before stopping suddenly and snapping them back to herself, as if to forcibly prevent herself from taking the child away from him. She shared one last look with Bruce before finally backing away. He watched her backup slowly and heard Jason’s screams and her gently trying to tell him it was ok. That this was better. His own mind was starting to go dull, shutting down as he watched her turn and run away, clearly unable to handle the baby crying for her in his arms. The pain on her face haunted him, as if he was the one stealing her child away.

And as he watched her flee, the world filled with static, only interrupted by the loud screams erupting from his arms.

It took a while for him to come back to himself. In his memory, he saw things in passing. His secretary staring in shock. Leslie making a phone call. Her helping him into the backseat of a limo, his baby safe in his arms as Alfred drove them home slowly. The realization that he needed to get this baby an age appropriate car seat.

All he could truly remember was Jason in his arms as he tried to hush him, and the stuffed piglet he fished out of the bag Catherine had given him.

Jason seemed to love the piglet. He kept putting his hand over its snout and eyes, and tried to put it in his mouth.

His son was eating pig… His mom and grandmother probably would have disapproved.

“I must say, you were much more composed upon Master Richard’s birth,” Alfred said, placing a cup of tea besides him. “I do wish you had called ahead so I could have prepared the nursery by the time we arrived.”

Bruce looked around, they were in a sitting room, his parents' picture looking down at him as the fireplace glowed softly. His baby was out of the old blanket he'd come in. Bruce could see he'd actually been in a green onesie the entire time, with two of the top buttons undone, and was now swindled in an old red baby blanket that had once belonged to Bruce.

“However, under these circumstances, I suppose it is reasonable for even the feared Batman to get a little tongue tied.”

“His mother abandoned him… I didn’t know,” Bruce choked out. “Alfred…what if there were others? What if he’s not the first child I abandoned. What if I am repopulating Gotham at a speed it can’t contain! What if I ruin his life? He was left in a hotel! What if he gets sick because he didn't receive medical treatment when he was born? What if he—“

Bruce felt a hand over his and looked up. Alfred was kneeling in front of him, a sincere look in his eyes.

“Breath in, Master Bruce,” he instructed. “This has been a shock… and I know when your mind catches up, you will be looking into each and every one of your female partners for the last six years to ensure there was not a third bundle of joy safely tucked away. But for now, you must focus on the son in your arms, and on yourself. Gotham will still be there in the morning, with or without you, and in that time, you will have to change your life. But for now, focus on you and your son, and all the questions that surround him. First of all, do you want to keep him?”

Bruce breathed at that and looked down, staring at the hand that was trying to reach Alfred’s mustache. Filled with curiosity and confusion. Without him, Jason would have nowhere to go… but also if Bruce left him, who knew what would happen to him. His arms tightened around the infant at the thought.

“Yes.”

“Are you alright?”

He wasn’t in danger. There were no bombs, knives or fists being thrown at him right now. But he was in shock. And he was…hurt. DEEPLY hurt and enraged. Enraged that someone had kidnapped HIS child. That this child had been born and he was uninformed. That he was BORN IN A HOTEL of all places, and was just left there for who know what to find him. What if a pedophile had nabbed him instead of Catherine? Or a thief. Or a gang member. So much could have happened to Jason if the wrong person had found him and that was… terrifying. He was terrified.

“No. I’m not.”

“Will you be ready for the responsibility of being a single parent? Because he will need you, Master Wayne, if he is to stay.”

If… If was a word. He could have said no, he could have given him back to Catherine, handed her money and asked her to hide him. He could have called an adoption agency. He could have gone to Saint Mary’s Orphanage, if there was any chance of him leaving the baby with anyone else.

But he took this baby. He was holding him now. And he wasn’t going to put him down.

“There is no choice on that front. He has to stay.”

Bruce needed him to stay.

“Very well, Master Bruce.” Alfred nodded. “I know this will be… difficult for you. Change is a hard thing, and we both know that changing your schedule is especially challenging for you. But you are not alone, and no matter what you decide to do, I will be here for you, and I believe in your ability to be a father. He may have been unplanned… but I am sure you'll love him.”

“I’m… sure of that too,” Bruce said and breathed out. He watched Jason kick a little in his arms, fussing over the buttons on his onesie

“Maybe we should rename him.” Bruce said. “Maybe as the father, I can give him a new name.”

“Sir?” Alfred questioned.

Bruce looked up at the picture of his father and the baby before him. “Yes, I think I’ll call you Thomas.”

His infant froze entirely for a moment, and then Bruce jumped from the sudden absolute banshee like scream Jason emitted.

“I’m sorry, I take it back! You can be Jason! Jason! Please don’t cry!” Bruce pleaded, watching the baby whimper.

Alfred stared at him with a singular raised eyebrow.

“I do believe, sir, that he does not want his name changed.”

Bruce felt the pig smack him in the side of the head.

“…You might be right.”

~End~


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce was snapped out of his thoughts when he felt something suckling on his fingers and turned to see his baby staring straight at him as he gummed at his hand. Bruce couldn't help but smile down at him.
> 
> "Are you trying to eat my hand?” Jason made a disgruntled noise and gummed more. "Oh, you're a scrappy one. You know, a scary crocodile man tried to do that to me last week. Had my arm halfway down his throat before I was able to escape."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone, welcome back for another chapter! Sorry about the wait, I'm a very slow writer.
> 
> Once again I'd like to say thank you to AmariT for inspiring the fic, as well as for helping edit this! You are a literal queen and your insight is worth gold. For any of you that haven't read "Common People" or her more current work "Chirp," I'll post links down below as they're both amazing and worth the read.
> 
> Hope you're all having a great day, without further ado, let's begin.
> 
> Edit: Originally, I accidentally uploaded an older version of the fic, so if you read right after this came out, there have been some changes to the story. Thank you for your patience, I hope you all enjoy the finished product.  
> Common People - https://archiveofourown.org/works/12069960/chapters/27340434  
> Chirp - https://archiveofourown.org/works/20666261/chapters/49078517

  
Jason was turning out to be a very calm and sweet baby. He rarely fussed and often spent his time sleeping, which made sense for a premature newborn. When he was rested against Bruce's chest, he was the sweetest little angel; perfectly content to look around, babble, and sleep quietly.  
  
This all changed the second Bruce tried to put him down.  
  
The quiet baby would erupt, transforming into a screeching pair of lungs. The cries became so deafening that Bruce kept him away from the good family china in fear of the entire case of heirlooms shattering. That screaming wouldn't stop until long after he was picked up again.

Bruce sighed as he remembered the sound and rubbed his ears. Jason apparently had three volume settings. Quiet with a few babbles, a light crying to alert him of his needs, and the wild screech of a banshee whenever he lost contact with either him or Alfred. The last setting took at least an hour to calm down.

Bruce pondered if it was related to emotional trauma due to being abandoned twice by two different mothers. Wondered if it would affect him his whole life. Would he be five and still never want Bruce to put him down? 25? 60?! How would Bruce be able to carry around his senior citizen of a son when he too was elderly!

Then he took a breath, calmed down, and sat with his baby close to his chest as he reached into his desk. He took out one of the dozens of childcare books he'd recently purchased in an attempt to get a hold on what he was doing, and started reading aloud.  
  
Through hard work (and some industrial strength earmuffs), Bruce had found some exceptions to the “Never put Jason down” rule. For example: if Jason was in a good enough mood or just plain tired, he could gently lay Jason down on a blanket or playpen, so long as he was in sight and kept a hand on him at all times. The hand would then become a sacrificial toy for Jason who would try his best to "play" with it, before sometimes moving onto his real toys. His favourite at the moment being crinkly paper (Bruce had to watch to make sure the kid didn’t eat it), a busted water bottle, colourful donut rings, and the stuffed pig he came with. Bruce also discovered that if he read out loud, whether it be a book or his business reports, Jason tended to calm down faster and would just lay there looking at him while sucking his pacifier. As a result, Bruce had started to implement a story time when he tried to get Jason to sleep, and did so every time he laid him down for a nap.  
  
He wondered if this love for literature was a sign his baby would become an academic in the future.  
  
Jason’s clinginess presented multiple issues now that Alfred had made Bruce the primary caregiver. The old man had put his foot down, saying that "he may have gotten lucky with Master Richard when he gave full custody to his mother so he could continue his trip around the world to become a ninja, but he would not have that luxury with Jason. During the day, it was primarily his time to watch Jason.” Though Alfred would help at night, prepare their meals and watch over Jason when Bruce needed a moment or even a morning to himself (or to dedicate to Batman, as he often did.) Aside from those small moments of reprieve; Bruce was fully responsible for Jason.  
  
Bruce wondered if it was a part of a plan to make him more sexually responsible (which was fair as this was his second "happy little accident") or even make him cut back as Batman.  
  
Which was more complicated.  
  
For now Bruce focused on the fact that he had a baby to take care of, a company to run, and a city to save, all of which was destroying his already nonexistent sleep schedule. His playboy image was also taking a huge blow, what with the addition of it creating new life! Which, really, was all on him. He should have seen that coming a mile away.

But with Jason now in his life, Bruce had to make some changes.  
  
First, the company. Wayne Enterprises was the source of his family's pride and fortune, of which he had become the active CEO just four months ago. During his absence, WE had become a corrupt organization, involving unsafe work practices, sweatshops, and under or unpaid employees. All of which was used to line the pockets of the corrupted shareholders of the board. The pigs were using every method they could to buy the political figures of Gotham in order avoid paying taxes and wages. The result left the rest of Gotham in a crumbling state.  
  
After finding all this out, Bruce had taken the company back by the reins and was forcibly changing it from the ground up. He had found every sweatshop on the map and closed them down personally. He then had the communities affected by the practices compensated to the best of his abilities. He then enlisted the help of Batman to go after the corrupt shareholders. Revealing the scumbags for what they were, he forcibly evicted a third of the board, either arresting those he could prove, and forcing the rest to retire in shame.  
  
Those who retired were still on his “get this scum into prison” list.  
  
After evicting his board members, Bruce invested the funds they stole to give back to the community. He kick-started multiple charities, including the Martha Wayne Foundation to help the homeless, and the Thomas Wayne Foundation to help provide free medical services. Afterwards he implemented a living wage to all his employees, which included proper medical and childcare benefits. The latter made it so all new parents who worked under him, no matter how long, were entitled to one year off with child support. Upon reflection, Bruce wished he could take advantage of those same programs. But one year away would undo all his progress.

Which left one available option for Wayne Enterprises: he would have to bring Jason to work with him. He had already made changes to his office to include a bassinet, a small area to prepare Jason’s formula, a playpen, a changing station, and had made an appointment to get a much deeper sink in his private bathroom in case Jason needed a bath. By the end of the week, he would be returning to work with his baby, and they would be tackling the corporate world together.  
  
Bruce was snapped out of his thoughts when he felt something suckling on his fingers and turned to see Jason staring straight at him as he gummed at his hand. Bruce couldn't help but smile down at him.  
  
"Are you trying to eat my hand?” Jason made a disgruntled noise and gummed more. "Oh, you're a scrappy one. You know, a scary crocodile man tried to do that to me last week. Had my arm halfway down his throat before I was able to escape."  
  
Speak of devil, in his almost one year as Batman, he had almost successfully taken out the biggest mob families in the city. If not imprisoning them, then he had at least made them fear him. Captain Gordan was awaiting his promotion to commissioner, and together they worked to remove the corrupted officers. More honest cops were being hired to replace the old guard. Together they were starting to see a difference.  
  
However, in place of the mobs, certain Arkham inmates had started to appear. Such as The Penguin, The Riddler and Poison Ivy. An ecliptic bunch complete with a weird gimmicks that wanted to take over the power imbalance the mobsters left. Either by creating specialized gangs in their territories, taking over as mobsters themselves, or individually causing their own brand of chaos.

Thinking over the rise in violent crime made him reconsider his life with the baby currently sucking on his index finger. Did he really want to raise a child in this crime infested city? Isn't that part of the reason he left Richard with Mary? The city was dangerous, and for a second, he pictured the life his second son would’ve had if he never got to know him.  
  
His breath stuttered as he pictured the possibility of Jason growing up in Park Row where his parents were murdered. Jason might have been forced to grow up too quickly. Would he have been hardened by poverty? Become mean and cruel by his surroundings? What if he had to resort to stealing? What if he got hurt? What if he had gotten kidnapped or joined a gang?

Bruce didn't even register when he picked Jason up again, holding him close and rocking the confused baby. For once not calming Jason down, but calming himself. Softly he repeated the mantra that always came up when he was plagued by such thoughts; his baby was here. His baby was in his arms. Nothing could happen to Jason here in his arms.  
  
But that only made him think more of the state of the city. What if something happened to him! What if he went out as Batman and he never came back? Jason had already been abandoned once by a parent and then was willingly given up by a second. What if Batman got unlucky one night? What if the Joker finally got the last laugh and Bruce never came home one day, making his son ask "where did daddy go?"  
  
Maybe they could move, go somewhere brighter like Metropolis, San Francisco, Jump City or hell: even Canada! Somewhere he could see the sun more than twice a year. Where Jason would grow up surrounded by polite people, fresh air; have a sweet adoring life where nothing happened ever. Just... sunshine, cheerful faces and small talk.  
  
Jason suddenly spat up on his face and started crying.  
  
"Yeah. I agree. That sounded boring to me too," Bruce grumbled, lifting the baby over his shoulder as he gently patted his back. A few seconds later he heard a burp and felt spit and probably worse as Jason threw up over his shoulder. He should have grabbed a towel.  
  
Besides, even outside of Gotham there were still threats and villains causing mayhem. So many in fact that to counter them, a huge spike in heroes had erupted all over the world. There was one who called himself Superman who had made a point of getting in contact with him as Batman. Teams were being formed like the Metal Men and Doom Patrol. A new Green Lantern appeared, decades after the old one had retired. A hero known as The Flash had his own museum in Central City after only being there a year! And throughout all of this, Oliver Queen decided to copy him, using a Robin Hood theme instead of bats, like the tool he was.

Reviewing all this information led to an answer he needed. He couldn't leave Gotham. Not yet. Not while she needed him. Not while other heroes were out there doing their own thing and had the potential to turn at any second. More than that, he couldn't just make life better for Jason while ignoring all the other children in this city who desperately needed him.  
  
He couldn’t give up being Batman.  
  
The final part of him was Brucie Wayne. The party boy. The chatterbox. The Nincompoop. It was a great way to keep his cover, get invited to parties and allow him to act too buffoonish to ever be suspected as Batman. He was his charming, rich, white idiot persona, and for almost 11 months, he'd allowed him the cover he needed to manipulate public opinion while also infiltrating the rich families to investigate their ties to the criminal underbelly.  
  
And it was that idiot who was probably responsible for this bundle of joy who just destroyed his favourite shirt.  
  
Brucie Wayne, the crowned prince of Gotham... he was the change Bruce had to make. He could no longer go partying, seduce women, and play up the buffoonery for the cameras. He never liked the role anyways, but with him gone, he could use that time to focus on raising Jason.  
  
Still, that meant he would need a new cover. Something safe the media could latch onto. Something believable that would make him drop his crazy ways... But what?  
  
Jason was whining a little as Bruce changed him into a new and clean onesie, so he picked up his pig and held it out to the baby, watching him try to latch on with his baby fingers. But he was a little too weak to properly grasp it yet, so Bruce laid it on top of him while playing with the head and mimicked some oinking noises. Which seemed to appease the baby, though he wasn't sure as Jason never smiled. Alfred had told him that was normal and it could take a few months for babies to fully develop their facial muscles.  
  
"I see the young master is active." Alfred commented. Coming in with a tray of lunch, a bottle for Jason, and freshly pressed shirt for Bruce.  
  
It was times like these that Bruce was sure his butler was magical.  
  
"He was using my hand as a chew toy for about half an hour before deciding that he hated my shirt."  
  
"Already able to tell the difference between trendy and dull at such an early age? It's a miracle: we finally have a Wayne with some fashion sense after so many generations."  
  
Bruce let out a sarcastic laugh. Alfred placed the tray down and held out his arms in an offer. Bruce took it gratefully and handed Jason over so he could change and eat his sandwich.

"Also, sir, as a final reminder, it is Wednesday. So Ms. Grayson will be expecting to hear from you by five o’clock. Do keep to her schedule,” Alfred said as he took the bouncing boy.  
  
Jason squealed in delight once he was handed over to Alfred, his little hands reaching for the old man's mustache. The baby had seemed to already figure out that Alfred always came with food or a toy, and thus took a rather strong liking to the butler. And despite the distance Alfred purposefully made to ensure Bruce was the primary caregiver, his mouth always morphed into a smile when the little baby was in his arms. He lifted the little pig and made it skip around Jason, watching the baby coo in delight and reach for it.  
  
"So, have you come to a decision?"  
  
Bruce nodded with a grunt, his mouth stuffed with food.  
  
"I do so hope you teach your son to be more articulate.’

Bruce groaned and finished eating before taking a drink of water. He then quickly tested the baby bottle's temperature on his wrist before offering to take Jason back.  
  
"Jason will speak fine."  
  
Jason seemed to fuss with the nuzzle for a moment before figuring it out and accepting his lunch and suckling happily from the bottle. Another good aspect about Jason was that he seemed to have a big appetite, and he never put up a fight when it came to meal times.  
  
"I have to go to work as Bruce Wayne, and I have to keep investigating as Batman... but I'm retiring Brucie," Bruce summarized. "I just don't know a believable way to replace him with a substitute to keep the public's eye off me. Hey, Jason, slow down."  
  
"Of course, Master Bruce. Because fatherhood is not a valid reason to change up priorities and keep out of the public eye."  
  
Bruce blanked for a second.  
  
OF COURSE!!!  
  
"He needs to be burped now sir. Do use a towel this time." Alfred directed.  
  
Bruce worked quickly and gently, following his butler's direction.  
  
"Now that that's all settled, I will leave you to it." Alfred reached over and gently stroked Jason on the cheek, making the infant coo again. “You be a good boy now young master, and keep your father out of trouble. "  
  
"Its the other way around Alfred!" Bruce called after the retreating butler.  
  
"On the contrary, I have more trust in the baby to take care of himself than I do you."  
  
Bruce made a face at that and placed Jason down beside him. He had some calls to make, a couple of life changes to start, and a bunch of parties to cancel. It was time to accept fatherhood and all its wonders—  
  
Jason's banshee scream reverberated throughout his office, causing Bruce to curse and try to settle him as Jason kicked about.

It would be another hour before he could begin any of his new life changes.

* * *

Wednesday was a very special day in the Grayson household. Mary was grinning as she finished wiping down kitchen counters. Her trailer was never messy, but she liked to make it look extra clean for Bruce’s weekly video calls. It was a special time for her baby boy, and she wanted to make sure everything was perfect to ensure nothing could distract from their father/son time.

That was not to say Bruce was overly picky about the state of the trailer, or that he never contacted them. In fact, Bruce tried to call at least three times a week, and often flew by every few months on weekends to surprise them by showing up during her performances. He also liked taking Dick off her hands for a few hours during these visits, and Dick was always excited for the time he spent with his dad. But with her constant travel and Bruce recently becoming a full-time CEO, they had been forced to make their time more streamlined. It was probably better for everyone, but she missed the unpredictability it use to have (what could she say, Mary loved surprises).

Around her, Dick was yelling and jumping over anything he could, even flipping off the couch. Her little boy was always twittery, flitting from one thing to the other without a second’s thought. He had turned four a few months earlier and now spent half his time in the air, trying out acrobatic maneuvers that either she or John had taught him. Waiting patiently, she watched Dick leap off the fold up couch before snatching him out of the air and blowing a raspberry on his now visible tummy, which caused him to shriek excitedly.

“Are you excited because it’s ~daddy-day~?” She sang playfully, removing her lips from his belly. Before he could answer, she wiggled her fingers under his armpits to extract more laughter from her little boy. “Da~ddy~ Day~”

Dick laughed and threw his arms in the air as he tried to slide away from her, his giggles and repetitive cheers of “Dad Day” reverberating throughout their small trailer. With a gleam in her dark brown eyes, Mary pressed her lips against her boy’s cheek, blowing another loud raspberry against him to make him shriek with glee.

“But uh-oh. We have a problem Dickie.” Mary said suddenly, dramatically pulling away and looking at the toys thrown about the trailer. In her arms, Dick was too giggly to properly respond. She held him close until the laughter calmed down enough so he’d listen, then continued talking. “We have a mess to deal with before Daddy Day can commence. If we don’t, the computer might not even work because of all the interference.”

“What? Nooo!” Dick whined.

“I’m afraid so, and you’re the only one who can put them away properly. For they must go in your treasure box. No mommies allowed.”

“No mommies allowed!” Dick agreed, wiggling again to get free. “Can I have chips?”

“Nope,” Mary said, keeping Dick on track. “Go on; toys first, and then we can have snack time at the same time as ~DADDY DAY~”

“Dad Day!” Dick cheered once again, getting down and running about to gather his toys.

Mary couldn’t help but grin as she watched. Opening one of the top kitchen cabinets, she pulled out the laptop and charger, getting everything ready so she could set it up. Their trailer was really small and compact, so everything in it had a second purpose. The kitchen cabinets also made a good filing cabinet. The built-in folding table, she could turn that into an ironing board! The couch, pull that out and she and Dick got a bed!

The only exception to this rule was Dick’s blue treasure chest, which was where all his toys were kept. He might have only been four, but Mary figured it was never too early to start teaching him responsibility. Even when it got too full, Mary would only help Dick go through them so he learned to donate any unused toys to make room for new ones. It had to be this way due to their small, traveling lifestyle, but eventually she'd found a way so Dick would understand. She just had to convince him that when he donated, it was like giving gifts to other little kids who were less fortunate. It made them feel as happy as he did when he got new presents, which seemed to get Dick excited.

Mary grinned when Dick finished cleaning and immediately jumped over the back of the couch into her lap.

“Aw, my little Robin can’t stop flying about,” she cooed, giving him another hug as she looked around, confirming he'd actually finished cleaning up. Sure enough, everything was put away except for a single, stuffed elephant on the table, which was the only exception because as Dick often said about the elephant, “Zitty doesn't like the dark.” Which was entirely reasonable.

It was five minutes until Bruce was scheduled to call in, so there was no point in making Dick wait. With a bit of excitement, she opened Skype and slid the mouse over the video call button and started a count down for extra effect.

“Are you ready, Dickie? Here Daddy comes in five! Four! Three! Two! One!”

Dick chanted down with her, jumping in place until she finally clicked the button. The ringing sound started and the two sat back in anticipation.

One thing Mary appreciated about Bruce was that he almost always picked up on the first ring. So she was a little uneasy when there hadn't been an answer by the third ring. By the fifth, Dick was looking up at her in confusion, making Mary shrug in return. By the seventh, Mary was wondering if she’d have to call back when Bruce finally picked up.

He looked worse than she had ever seen him.

His usual straight black hair was thrown about in different directions. His shirt was wrinkled and covered in a mysterious substance. Finally, dark grey bags hung from under his eyes. In the corner of the screen there was something red he was rocking up and down. A blanket?

Mary’s eyes opened wide as her jaw dropped in a silent astonishment. All while Dick openly laughed at Bruce.

“Daddy’s gross!” Dick cackled, manners going out the window.

“Dickie, don’t be mean!” Mary immediately chastised.

“But he is! Gross Daddy! Gross!” Dick laughed and pointed.

“It's nice to see you too, Richard,” Bruce said, sounding exhausted.

“Its Dick!” Dick shouted, preferring his nickname to his given name.

“Are you sure? Richie is also a cool nickname kids can go by. Or maybe Ric-“ Bruce said. Sometimes, Bruce would question Mary in confidence about Dick’s preferred nickname, but it was very out off character for him to bring it up with the toddler present. Mary usually would have felt insulted at the behaviour, but today however, she was too focused the wiggling blanket in Bruce’s arms.

“It’s Dick!” Dick yelled, little fists flying.

“Dickie, calm down,” Mary intercepted before things could get out of hand. “Your dad is just being his usual, rich self… you know.” Then, placing a thumb on her nose, she made an exaggerated ‘Hmph’ sound and turned her nose up high. “Snooty,” she remarked, wiggling her fingers.

Dick laughed and mimicked the motion.

“I feel like you’re all trying to double-team me,” Bruce grumbled. A little noise came from the speaker and Bruce sighed. “Triple-team me.”

“Well, maybe you deserve it. Apologize, and maybe we’ll all be on your side.” Mary said, keeping her nose and fingers wiggling in the air.

With an elongated sigh, Bruce nodded his lowered his head, before turning his serious but tired eyes on Dickie.

“I’m sorry Dick for questioning your name. Can you forgive me?”

“I fo’give you!” Dick declared enthusiastically, wiggling excitedly before finally noticing the red blanket in the corner of the screen. Curiously, he pointed it out and asked “What’s that? Present?!”

At the very idea of a gift, Dick started to vibrate with excitement. Almost getting up to pull the screen closer. But Mary stopped him before he could. Keeping his hands away from the screen for fear he might break it if he got too excited.

“Well Dick, not exactly. It’s-um.” Bruce seemed frazzled, but tried to compose himself as he turned the blanket towards the screen. Mary’s heart couldn’t help but drop when her theory was confirmed, and a tiny, very grumpy face was revealed. “Dickie, this is Jason… he’s your new baby brother.”

For a moment there was silence throughout the trailer, when Dick suddenly launched forward, his hand on either side of the laptop and his face practically attached to the screen.

“WHAT?” he yelled, excitedly jumping about. Neither adult could get a word in before he started yelling again, jumping in place and growing more excited by the millisecond. “I GOT A BABY BROTHER! MOMMY-MOM-MUM! A BABY BROTHER! DADDY GOT ME A BABY BROTHER!”

“Uh- that’s great Dick-“ Mary tried, but Dick turned and picked up the computer and held it over his head as stood atop the table.

**“I GOT A BABY BROTHER!!!”** Dick screeched at the top of his lungs, and Mary quickly grabbed the laptop before anything could happen to it, but missed her son as he flipped off the table and ran for the door.

“I HAFTA TELL EVERYONE!” he yelled, and was out the door, once again flipping off the steps and running to Madam Madrid’s Fortune Telling tent before Mary could even stand. Repeats and variations of “I have a baby brother” could be heard in the distance. Awkwardly, Mary put the laptop on the table.

“Well… you just made his week,” Mary said, awkward grin in place.

“Shouldn’t you run after him?” Bruce asked, looking very concerned.

“Nah, he’ll be fine.” Mary said with a wave of her hand. “The whole circus looks after him, and Zitka will bring him back if he gets out of line.”

“That’s the elephant…” Bruce trailed, as if trying to compute new information. “That... Must be nice?” 

“It is.” Mary said with a grin before sobering up. In the distance, Dick’s announcement could be heard by everyone. “So… I guess congratulations are in order. How old is he? Um, Jackson, right?”

“Jason,” Bruce corrected, just as the baby’s face seemed to scrunch up more. “It’s Jason. Jason Peter Wayne.”

“Alright! I heard you the first time!” Mary said, getting annoyed at the repetition. “No need to repeat.”

“It wasn’t for you,” Bruce said, looking down at the baby with a pointed look.

“Bwaf!” Jason yelled, but said nothing more.

“He’s very particular about the name. I tried changing it once…” Bruce looked into the camera dramatically. “Never again.”

The declaration ended up being so ridiculous that Mary couldn’t help but laugh at Bruce. “Does that baby have you whipped?”

Bruce just grumbled incoherently for a minute, making his baby fidget. “Maybe.”

“But seriously, Bruce, tell me his age.” Mary tried to smile, but it felt painful as it stretched itself across her cheeks. “He’s so little, I can’t believe Dick was ever that small.”

“He wasn’t.” Bruce objected. “Dick was 8.1 pounds when he was born. Currently, Jason only weighs 6.2 pounds.”

“Oh…” Mary remarked, surprised Bruce could remember that, but also sensing something wrong with this entire conversation. That something was off since the beginning. Bruce and her were distant, but they were still co-parenting. Anything that effected Dick should have been brought to her attention immediately. And a sudden baby brother was at the top of the list. “So…who is the lucky miss you never told me about?”

Bruce’s face darkened and he started rocking Jason, who looked less grumpy with every swing. He didn’t even seem aware they were talking about him, probably not old enough to comprehend computer screens yet.

“She’s not in the picture.” Bruce growled out.

“Oh, I’m sorry—“

“Not like that. She’s alive. It’s just complicated,” Bruce interrupted her, yet the rage never left his eyes. Mary could recognize that look. When they were dating, she would sometimes walk in on him as a teen with the same darkness contaminating his ice blue eyes. They were like a promise of vengeance, and it shocked her to see them again.

An awkward silence spread between the three of them. In the distance Mary once again heard the telltale sign of her child announcing the birth of their brother to the world. And their lion tamer yelling “That’s great Dick!” right back at him. Sighing to herself, Mary decided to bite the bullet and speak up. Knowing that Bruce would rather break every bone in his body then break the silence.

“Bruce. We need to talk about this. I don’t know what happened and if you feel like you can’t tell me, that’s fine. You don’t have to. But I need to know what this means for Dick.” Mary explained. “Will this mean less visitation? Less child support? Do you want the boys to have a relationship or for them to be raised separate?”

“What?” Bruce said, looking as if the thoughts never came to him. “No none of that I just…” Bruce looked down, seeing the baby had fallen asleep. Gently, slowly, as if handling a bomb rather than an infant, Bruce laid the baby down off screen and Mary couldn’t see him anymore. “It’s just been a long week. And I didn’t think you wanted to hear about my problems anymore.”

“Pfft, that’s bullshit.” Mary laughed, getting a raised eyebrow out of Bruce. “Bruce you’re my ex, it’s true! But you’re also my friend. You can confound me.”

“…'Confide' in me.” Bruce corrected. “Would you rather we speak in another language?”

“Ugh! Please! English is impossible! How’s your Romanian?” Mary asked with a grin.

“Shaky, how about German?”

“ _Hört sich gut an_!” Mary agreed readily. She and Bruce were both multilingual, and often only spoke in English around Dick to help him with the language. It was going to be his second language and they both hoped he would be fluent in it. For Mary however, it was her fifth language, and it was sometimes hard for her to speak it 24/7.

_“I promise, Mary, that I still want to see Dick.”_ Bruce began, his German fluent and perfect. Mary found herself relaxing as she could finally comprehended everything was saying. _“I love my son, and I want to keep my relationship with him. I need to stay in his life! But last week, Jason appeared out of no where, and it’s been a very difficult transition. Everything happened in an instant and it changed my entire life in only a few hours. I can barely keep track of anything anymore and its difficult. I feel like I’m being spread in a thousand directions, and failing to get a hold of anything_.” Bruce confessed, letting his tiredness show.

“ _Bruce,”_ Mary began. “ _I know you love Dick. But I don’t understand what you mean about being spread, or how Jason just appeared. I need to know Bruce, so please… start from the beginning; tell me what happened.”_

Eventually, Bruce finally opened up and told Mary what happened with him. How Jason was brought to him a week ago. The paternity tests, the drama in his office, and what he was going through since then. By the end of his story, Mary couldn’t help but wish she could just reach out and offer the poor guy a beer.

_“To think, I thought my week was crazy after Dick perfected the flip. But yours takes the cake.”_ Mary replied, letting out a low whistle at the end.

_“Yes, so I’m sorry once again for burdening you with all this, but I have an important favour to ask. May I skip my next in visitation period with Dick?”_ Bruce looked pained as he made his request, but continued quickly before Mary could get a word in. _“I promise I won’t make this a regular occurrence. I just need some more time with Jason so I make a schedule for him and get control of my life again! And I can’t do that and visit Dick right now. And I can’t bring Jason with me to see Dick, because Jason’s too little and weak to travel. I just…I need more time to get settled as a single dad.”_

Mary thought it over. On the one hand she would usually ask if Alfred could watch the baby so Bruce could enjoy his time with Dick. But in Mary’s opinion, it sounded like Bruce was going through some new form of trauma after finding out what happened to Jason, and as such wanted to keep the new baby as close as possible in an effort to protect him. And despite never going through anything like that, Mary did remember what it was like to be a single new mom when Dick was born. How she had spent nights awake at the side of his cradle to ensure he was alive the next morning. How she felt the first time he was out of her sight. The fears she felt the when she had to ask for help because she was so overwhelmed, and her tears when she wasn’t beside her him.

There was an intense motherly instinct that could overwhelm you when you became a parent. It made you really anxious to separate from your child. And, though she was sure there was a difference between fathers and mothers, what Bruce felt now in regards to Jason, must’ve been similar to what she had with Dick.

Despite all this however, there was a part of her that wanted to lash out. To demand Bruce put her son first. It wanted her to force him to come to his scheduled visits on time, pay more child support, and figure his own crap out. It called out to her, demanding she tell him that life wasn’t fair and he had to suck it up, and put _her_ son first.

And life, indeed, was not fair… but taking a breath to herself, Mary decided she could be.

“ _I understand, I can tell Dick Daddy will visit a little later this year… or if you’re willing and could pay for it, why don’t we send Dick over to see you soon?”_ Bruce blinked in surprise at her suggestion.

“ _But…his acrobatic training…and you used to say_ _—“_ Bruce started. Mary waved him off with a loud ‘pssh’ sound. Forcing herself to sound more casual than she felt.

“ _Plans change Bruce. Yeah, I wanted to wait a while before he could come see you at your place, preferably when he was old enough to go on a plane by himself. But you heard him! He REALLY wants this little brother, and not giving them time to bond because I’m being insecure or possessive would be cruel. But there’s something more important we need to discuss… What should Jason call me?”_

“ _What_?” Bruce asked again, clearly flabbergasted. It honestly made Mary laugh. She loved seeing that expression on him.

“ _I mean I’m not his mom, but I’m his brother’s mom. And when he's old enough to visit, he needs to call me something. How about ‘Aunt’ Or ‘Aunty Mary!’ Or is that too formal?”_ Mary hummed, rolling the title over her tongue. On the other side of the screen, Mary could see Bruce blinking in confusion, clearly flabbergasted by the completely new direction the conversation went. It was so much fun to throw him off and watch him flounder, especially after all the bombs he decided to drop on her today. She wanted to force some levity into the situation. _“I think I really like that but how about ‘_ Mătuşă _.’ Hmm...Yes... that’s the one_.”

“ _Mary_ …” Bruce sighed, then the softest smile broke over his face. “ _Thank you. Legitimately, you’re-… you’re the greatest woman I’ve ever known._ ”

Mary stopped her ramblings and turned to look at him. He'd grown so much since he was seventeen. Back then, she’d always refer to him as her emo boyfriend. He’d take everything too seriously, and was always focused on a single, solitary goal, with barely any room for light in his world. But Mary had gotten through to him. She managed to sneak through a crack in his heart and show him there was still fun to have in the world. They both knew it would only be for a short time, but they were happy to spend it together. Those days were filled with mischief, passion, shirking responsibility and risk.

The risk had later ended up being renamed ‘Richard John Grayson Wayne.’

Still, despite everything, and how different they turned out, she didn’t regret being tied to Bruce for the rest of their kid’s life. Maybe longer. They were on different paths, him being chained to Gotham and in the arms of luxury and fortune. Where she needed adventure, to see the world and all its wonders. She needed to feel the sun on her bare skin, and he needed to be shrouded in the darkness of night. 

They were never designed to work… but for a short period of time, it was like they were sun and moon during an eclipse. And in that brief time, they had made the most of every moment.

“I guess _you’re alright too_.” She said while grinning back, sticking her tongue out at him for emphasis.

Bruce’s laugh was stifled, hidden under his fist and as he turned away from the camera. It always made her smile.

“ _So, in conclusion_ ,” she said, making sure they were on the same page. “ _I would like two calls a week with Dick from here on out, Monday and Wednesday, and we’ll look into sending Dick your way. I’ll probably go with him there and then will head back unless we go during a circus break. We can hash out things like diet and schedules later. And when Jason gets here, I can be “_ _Mătuşă Mary,” and I’ll even look after him while you and Dickie get some lone bonding time. Extra childcare funds are NOT necessary. Seriously Bruce, its just going into Dick’s trust fund, and he probably has more money in there than the entire circus makes in a year at this point.”_

“ _Nothing wrong with making sure his future is secure. I think I can still send a bit of a bonus this year.”_ Bruce grinned. This made Mary groan in exaggeration at Bruce’s antics. “ _But yes, that sounds good… is Dick anywhere near by? If possible, I’d like to talk to him some more.”_

“ _Sorry, Bruce, its almost nap time.”_ Mary said, checking the clock. “ _I better get him back in for a bath. Sorry you missed most of your time with him, I can call back later if you wanna try again, since we mostly only got to talk about boring adult stuff.”_

“ _It was a necessary evil. I’m glad we got it out of the way… and I’d like it if you two could call me back later.”_ Bruce said softly.

“ _Any chance I can see the little guy before we go?”_ Mary asked.

“ _Sorry, Jason just fell asleep and_ _—“_

“ _No explanation needed: Never. Wake. The baby_.” Mary said solemnly. When Dick was that age, she had warned everyone that if they barged in and interrupted his nap time, that it would bring death.

It only took her throwing one knife for others to learn she was serious.

“… _One moment.”_ Bruce said before getting up. Mary blinked in confusion when he suddenly left the screen. But then the entire camera moved awkwardly, and eventually focused over a small bundle beside the desk chair. “ _Can you see him?”_

Mary couldn’t help but gush out the longest ‘awe’ when she saw it. Fast asleep was the tiniest baby she’d ever seen. She looked from his almost bald head to his little covered toes, mouth hung slightly agape and the sounds he made in his sleep made her pressed a hand over to heart… Jason really was precious. He looked almost like Dick did when he a newborn (but with way less hair).

_“I can’t even. He’s just_ _— aw! Hey baby…have good dreams… sleep tightly,_ Little Wing _,”_ Mary whispered.

“ _Little Wing_?” Bruce asked, the camera turning to face him.

“ _Naturally. My boy is a little Robin, it makes sense his little brother would be some kind of baby bird in turn_.” Mary grinned.

“… _A hatchling_?” Bruce said. And Mary made a face.

“ _That’s just not as cute_ ,” she said, and before turning to face the clock. It was getting late. “ _Okay, I have to go find Dick. Take care, Bruce_.”

“ _Same to you Mary_.” Bruce said, finishing the call in Romanian. _“_ La revedere.”

With that final note, Mary hung up as well and slumped in her seat. That had been a harder talk than she had initially expected. But it felt good in a way, getting everything out in the open. Knowing Dick’s relationship with his daddy would be okay… with a sigh of relief she just let herself relax for a moment.

Then a second later, she was back on her two feet, stretching as she headed to the door. It was time to go and grab her own energetic son. His screams had dissipated a while ago, but she was sure that meant he must have entered another one of the trailers. She’d start with Madam Fortuna, and then see Mr. Haly. If he wasn’t there she might be able to find him with—

“John!” Mary yelled out. In front of her door, a man stood there, holding her wiggling child.

“Hi, Mary. Congratulations on the new baby.” John said, his eyebrows wiggling. “Did I have anything to do with that?”

“Baby brother!” Dick yelled again, covered in what was, hopefully, mud.

“Not on our part, sorry for the confusion,” Mary said, taking Dick back and leaning up to peck John’s lips. “It’s on Bruce’s side. I’ll tell you all about it tonight.”

“Sounds good. I had a question I wanted to ask to you tonight too,” he said, following her in.

“Oh hoho, sounds fun I can’t wait to hear it.” Mary winked back at him, walking to the bathroom. “Would you like to stay the night? Maybe help with bath time?”

“I’ll do one better. How about I help start dinner and get things ready for tonight,” John asked, leaning against the counters.

“Te iubesc!” (Romanian: I love you) Mary called, heading to the bathroom with her wiggly little boy.

“Mommy, what about daddy! I wanna talk to daddy! And baby brother!” Dick demanded, and Mary just chuckled as she removed his shirt and tossed it into the sink before getting the bathtub ready.

“Sorry Darling, you’re going to have to wait until after nap time now. You spent too much time running off,” Mary chided gently, going for his shoes as he whined and tried to jump away.

“What! No!” Dick shrieked.

“Yes~” Mary said, mimicking his tone. “Boys who run off don’t get Daddy Day until later.”

There was a lot of whining on Dick’s end after that but Mary just focused on getting him ready for his bath before his nap time. In the next room, she missed John’s wistful smile. Missed him rummaging through her fridge to prepare some porkchops. Missed him looking into his pocket to smile blissfully at a small box. She’d get to see it later.

* * *

Bonding with Jason was a unique experience.

Bruce couldn’t describe it any other way. He knew what raising a newborn was like in theory, and bonding with them via Dick… but sadly he hadn't met Dick until months after he was born and could only spend a limited time with him due to their custody arrangement, and him traveling the world on his quest for vengeance.

But Mary was a godsend, and after he said a proper goodbye to Dick, she decided to send a long email about all the tricks and games she did with Dick at that age to see if any of it worked with Jason. And although some of it he found weird like the insistence of skin-to-skin contact (was that really necessary? Babies were so weird.), one of the things she helped underline was a small exercise routine for babies. After a small confirmation call with Leslie and an assurance from Alfred, Bruce had decided to try it out with Jason.

Jason was very confused when they first started, but was now kicking pleasantly as Bruce did some passive limb exercises on his tiny arms and legs. Sometimes he was sure Jason was pushing against him in another attempt to playfully hit him. It made Bruce smile at his little attempts of sabotage, as well as the constant gibberish his kid made at the new activity. It was clear his little baby was a fighter. Born and ready to rebel against him at any moment.

Joy…

But in a way he was also sure this was Jason’s way of smiling and showing he enjoyed himself. So, Bruce kept the routine up.

“After our workout, how about another chapter of Sherlock Holmes?” Bruce asked, waiting for Jason to give a little “aah!” in return. “Yes, we’re going to read _A Study in Scarlet_. Isn’t that exciting? We’re going to learn about the most important clue of this murder case; a wedding ring.”

“Is that really an appropriate book for children?” Alfred asked, coming into the home gym.

“He doesn't understand language yet, so story time is more for me than him anyways,” Bruce said, lifting Jason up and handing him over to Alfred so he could start his own workout routine.

“Of course, sir…” Alfred said sarcastically, turning Jason to face him directly. “Even as a child, Master Bruce has always been like this. Selfishly obsessed with his own toys and unable to share for even a minute.” Alfred sighed, shaming Bruce as he tweaked Jason’s nose. The baby just made another attempt for Alfred’s mustache, his little hands gently being pushed away by the older gentleman.

Bruce grunted as he started on some one-armed push-ups. Carrying Jason around everywhere made him worry that, eventually, he’d have one arm that was stronger than the other, and it was times like this that he needed to ensure his entire body stayed in perfect condition while Alfred just played with his son.

“Also, sir, I was finally able to locate her whereabouts.”

Bruce froze at that, turning his head to face Alfred.

“She’s in Africa right now. Her address isn’t listed but I was able to gain access to her work clinic’s phone number and when she would be in. I have setup a virtual appointment with her under an alias so you can confront her at four today while I watch over the young master.”

“Thank you, Alfred.” Bruce said, his rage growing as he pushed himself harder. After today, Bruce would finally have answers. Even if she tried to hang up, no matter where she turned to hide; Bruce would find her and get his answers.

Sheila Haywood couldn’t hide from him anymore.

~End~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for reading, for anyone who's confused, here's a minor glossary for the chapter.
> 
> "Italics" - Speaking German  
> Hört sich gut an! - "Sounds Good" in German  
> Mătuşă - "Aunt" in Romanian  
> Te iubesc - "I love you" in Romanian
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed! It will be a while until the next update sadly, because I'll be focusing on and trying to complete my other story "Replacement." Currently I have two unedited chapters saved and hopefully, with my new writing schedule, I'll be posting them soon. In the mean time thank you for reading, please leave a comment and I hope to see you all again soon!

**Author's Note:**

> Please remember to leave a comment because they give me life!


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